The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-12-12


the republican regidie, and to the
ways Of public life in the States,
should, even with the sharpest intel
lect, be able to get at once at home
with the workings of a constitutional
monarchy; and yet such is the mis-
take of many good man here, to
expect everything in this or any
other monarchy to be conducted on
the exact copy of their own repub-
hcan institutions.
1t was therefore timely and good
to recall TO our legislators that the
King, even under the new Constitu-
ton, is not a mere automaton, nor
expected to be simple flgurehead;
and l read with pleasure the sensi-
BILE article written on this veto ques-
ton by Constitution" in last issue
of the BULLETIN.
But there is one thing / wish to
add to CONSTITUTIONS" remarks,
and this is, that the right of veto is
not only an inherent and unrestrict-
ed right, Legislative power belong
ing toall the monarchs Of the world
and more especially respected in
the truest constitutional rulers
but that it constitutes moreover
real and true safeguard for the peo-
pie against abuses in the legislative
body.
To bring the argument home
more forcibly and apply it to our
own status, when we see the Cham
Der Of Commerce, an irresponsible
and as it were an anonymous
body (however respectable its mem
bers may be privately, taking the
liberty of debating laws to the
Legislative body; and when we
have the surprise of seeing the
parliament of the people humbly
obeying the orders, how shall we
say that the country is really ruled?
Why! merely by the Chamber of
Commerce, who may gradually as
sumo to dictate all the laws which
may suit the few special men who
compose it And what redress are
the people, the masses, TO have
against such state of things, if it is
not to be found in the Kings veto?
With the King having the liberty
and power of using freely and
judiciously his veto prerogative, if,
at any time, and either freely or
under outside pressure, any law is
passed by the Legislature, wounding
the public interest, the people can
form into meeting to ask His
Majesty to exercise his veto in their
interest; and never in history did
a king refuse to accede TO a similar
demand from his loyal subjects.
But if the King is deprived of the
right of veto, or cannot exercise it
freely, then both King and people
are entirely at the mercy of the
Legislature, which might here
simply mean at the mercy of the
Chamber of Commerce.
Consequently it must be expected
that, after mature reflection, our
legislators and more especially
those members who are always
ready to boast that they belong to
the people, that they were sent by
and represent the people, and that
they want the people to enjoy all
their rights-it must be expected, l
say, that they will respect and
maintain the security given to the
people through the veto power in
the monarch.
Therefore they will treat the pre-
sent royal veto-and others which
may yet with all due consider
alton, and not as | have heard it
expressed, put their foot on it.
This stamping process would only
mean putting their foot on one of
the safeguards of that same public
to which they belong; safeguard
which they themselves may, some
day when they no longer belong to
the Legislature, only be too glad to
avail themselves of.